Automatic self-adjusting wrench



July 20, 1965 D. H. MEGGS, JR

AUTOMATIC SELF-ADJUSTING WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1962 Daniel Meggs, Jr.

INVENTOR.

Q 0 BYW July 20, 1965 D. H.'MEGG5. JR

AUTOMATIC SELF-ADJUSTING WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1962 .Fig. 3

Fig.5

1N VEN TOR.

Daniel HMeggs, Jr.

r I l I United States Patent Office iihfifiiil Patented July 2Q, 1965 3,1?5321 AUTGMATEG SELFADJUSTING WRENQH Evaniel H. Meggs, .iiz, Redondo Beach, Calif., assignor of twenty-five percent to Maurice J. llindin, Beveriy Hills, and twenty-five percent to Wallace H. Shapero, Torrance, Calif.

Filed Dec. 21, 1%2, Ser. No. 246,610 Claims. (Cl. 81-128) This invention relates to a novel and useful automatic self-adjusting wrench and more specifically to an open end type of wrench provided with jaw members including confronting jaw faces movable toward and away from each other. The jaw members of the wrench are each mounted for guided reciprocal movement and are normally urged toward positions spaced from each other. The wrench includes actuator means interconnecting the jaw members for simultaneous movement relative to the body member of the wrench for movement of the jaw faces toward and away from each other and the actuator comprises an abutment for engagement with a nut or bolt disposed between jaw members against which the wrench is advanced. In this manner, as the movable actuator and abutment is engaged with the nut or bolt and the wrench body is further advanced toward the nut or bolt,

the actuator will be caused to move relative to the body and thus actuate movement of the jaw members and bring the confronting jaw faces of the jaw members into abutting frictional engagement with opposite side surfaces of the nut or bolt against which the wrench is being advanced. The main object of this invention is to provide an automatic self-adjusting wrench which may be manipulated by one hand and which includes movable jaw members that may automatically be moved into engagement with remote surfaces of a nut or bolt upon advancement of the wrench toward the nut or bolt.

A further object ofthis invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a wrench including jaw members which are movably mounted for movement toward and away from each other and which are normally resiliently urged toward positions away from each other whereby the jaws or jaw members of the wrench will be at all times capable of being advanced upon and engaged with a nut or bolt of a size just within the maximum capacity of the wrench.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a wrench in accordance with the preceding objects including means whereby the jaw members may be releasably retained in position against movement of the confronting jaw faces away from each other; 7

A still further object of this invention is to provide coacting detent means'formed in the body member and movable actuator of the wrench for releasably retaining the actuator for the jaw members in any one of a plurality of preselected positions in a set of positions against movement of the jaw members away from each other.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately, preceding object, is to provide an actuator which is removable and which may be readily replaced by another actuator having dilferent detent means thereon whereby the wrench may be readily adapted so that the coacting detent means will retain'the jaw members in positions with the confronting jaw faces thereof spaced apart preselected positions conforming to metric wrench sizes.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an automatic self-adjusting wrench in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as toprovide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the selfadjusting wrench of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the Wrench shown with portions thereof being broken away and shown in section;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 2 but with the jaw members of the wrench shown in different positions;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 66 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the coacting detent means utilized to retain the jaw members in adjusted positions relative to the wrench body member and against movement of the confronting jaw faces of the jaw members away from each other.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral ltd generally designates the wrench of the instant invention which includes a body member generally referred to by the reference numeral 12, a pair of jaw members 14 and to, an abutment actuator 18, and a movable pawl 20.

The body member is elongated and defines a pair of crossed communicated channels 2-2 and 24 defined by the opposite sides 26 and 28 of the body member 12 and a pair of upstanding abutment blocks 30 and 32. The body member 12 also includes an upwardly opening recess. 34 in its rear end.

The jaw members 14 and 16 include elongated base portions 36 and 38 which are snugly and slidably received within the channels 22 and 24. It will be noted that the channels 22 and 24 are rectangular in cross section and that the surfaces of the body member 12 defining the sides of the channels 22 and 24 are coplanar. In addition, the base portions 36 and 38 are generally rectangular in cross section and include planar sides wherby the base portions 36 and 38 may be guidingly engaged by the opposite sides of the channels 22 and 24 throughout substantially their entire length. 7

' The base portions 36 and 38 are notched as at 40 and 42 so as to be able to overlap each other and the jaw members 36 and 38 include angulated confronting jaw faces 44 and 46.

It may be seen that when the base portions 36 and 38 are slidingly disposed in the channels 22 and 24 movement of the-base portions as and 38 toward the recess 34 will effect movement of the confronting jaw faces 44 and 46 toward each other. Each of the jaw members 14 and 16 includes an upstanding pin 48 and the plate-like abutment member and actuator 18 i reciprocable and guidingly received within the longitudinal shallow recess 52 formed in the upper portion of the forward end of the body member 12 remote from the recess 34. It will be noted that the recess 34 is generally T-shaped in plan and that the actuator 18 includes a down-turned abutment flange 54 on its rear end which is receivable and reciprocable longitudinally of the body member 12 in the transversely extending portion of the recess 34. Therefore, it

In addition, (a positioning shank 58 projects rearwardly l fromthe rear face of the abutment flange 54 and the forward end of a compression spring 66 encircles the positioriing pin or hank 58 while the rear end of the spring 6% abuts against the rear :end Wall 62 of the recess .34. Thus, it may. be seen that the actuator 1% is yieldably urged toward-the forward end of the body member 12 thereby also causing the jaw members 14 and 16 to be yieldably urged forwardly in the body 12 Because the jaw members 14 and 16 are yieldab'ly urged forwardly in the body member'lZ, they are resiliently urged toward positions with the confronting jaw faces 44 and 46. spaced apart from each other.

Oneside edge .of the abutment 18 is provided with a series of recesses 64 and the pawl-2d includes a pointed arm end 66 that is selectively engageable with the recesses 64 upon pivotal movement of the pawl 20 by rotation of its shank-portion 68 in the bore 70.

A cover plate '76 is provided and is suitably secured 5 over the upper portion of the body member 12 bymeans of suitable fasteners 78, 8th and 82 passed through the The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art,'it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction-and operation shown and deplane between first andwsecond limit positions and operasides thereof may be seatingly received. Accordingly, it

may be seen that when the body memberlZ. is advanced forwardly upon a bolt head or nut that the bolt head or nut will be received withinthe recess 94 and engage the surfaces 90 and 92.. Then, continued forward movement of the body member '12 will effect rearward movement of the actuator 18 relative to the body member and 1 thereby rearward movement of thebaseportions 36 and 38 and in turn movement of the-confronting jaw faces 44 and 46 into surface-to-surface frictional engagement with the sidesof the hexagonal nut head or bolt adjacent the sidesthereof seated in the recess 94. .As soon as the jaw 1 faces 44 and 46 are disposed in tight frictional engage; ment with opposite side surfaces of the hexagonal head or not, the pawl 26 may be rotated soas to positionthe free end of the arm 66 in the corresponding-recess 64.

Inasmuch as the abutmentlii may be readily removed.

and replaced with a similar but different abutmentiprovided with recesses; similar to recesses 64 but spaced slightly differently. relative to the new abutment and/to:

action, when pressure-toward thenut-or bolt isremoved, I

enables the user to activate said wrench. continuously,

tightening .or loosening the nut or bolt in a manner tantamount to that obtained in conventional ratchetetype. wrenches,'w-ithout removing the wrench from-engage ment with the nut or bolt.

It will be obvious therefore, that work may be carried out swiftly in ,extremely'cramped conditions, where rotationof the wrench is limited.

tively connected to said base portions for simultaneously moving said baseportions in response to movement of said actuator ineans to move said faces toward and away from each other as saidactuator'means is moved between said first and second positions, respectively, said actuator means including a portion bridging the space between said faces and adapted *to be engaged by a workpiece upon advancement of such"workpiece inione'di-rection along said planesintothe area disposed between said faces, and said actuator means also being adapted to be urged toward said first position by movement of such workpiece in said one direction so as to, cause said jaw faces to engage .said workpiece from opposite sides of the path of,

movement of said. actuator means as such workpiece is inserted between saidfaces. I

2.. The combination of claim 1 including coacting positioning means carried by said body member and :said actuator means for retaining said actuator means inadjusted. positions.

3; The combination of, claim 2wherein said coacting positioning means comprises detent means including a movable'pawl on said body member and a series of re- .cesses defined by said actuatorrneanszin which said pawl is selectively engageable. f

4. The combinationof claim '3.wherein said actuator means-is removablymounted on said body member and removably'engaged withsaid base portions thereby enabling ditfe'rentactuators to be used for adju-stably positioning saidlbase portions in different .sets of adjusted positions.

5. The combination .of claim 1 including means yieldably urgingfsaidactuator means toward .said second limit position etfecting'movement of-said jaw faces apart.

ReferencesCited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ,-WI-DLIAMFELDMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN AUTOMATIC SELF-ADJUSING WRENCH COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER, A PAIR OF JAW MEMBERS INCLUDING ELONGATED CROSSED BASE PORTIONS MOUNTED IN SAID BODY MEMBER FOR GUIDED LONGITUDINAL RECTILINEAR MOVEMENT AND CONFRONTING JAW FACES MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND TRANSVERSELY OF A PLANE DISPOSED GENERALLY NORMAL TO A LINE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FACES IN RESPONSE TO RECIPROCATION OF SAID BASE PORTIONS, ACTUATOR MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BODY MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT GENERALLY ALONG SAID PLANE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND LIMIT POSITIONS AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID BASE PORTIONS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY MOVING SAID BASE PORTIONS IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATOR MEANS TO MOVE SAID FACES TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AS SAID ACTUATOR MEANS IS MOVED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, RESPECTIVELY, SAID ACTUATOR MEANS INCLUDING A PORTION BRIDGING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID FACES AND ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY A WORKPIECE UPON ADVANCEMENT OF SUCH WORKPIECE IN ONE DIRECTION ALONG SAID PLANE INTO THE AREA DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FACES, AND SAID ACTUATOR MEANS ALSO BEING ADAPTED TO BE URGED TOWARD SAID FIRST POSITION BY MOVEMENT OF SUCH WORKPIECE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION SO AS TO CAUSE SAID JAW FACES TO ENGAGE SAID WORKPIECE FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATOR MEANS AS SUCH WORKPIECE IS INSERTED BETWEEN SAID FACES. 